Ethan's talk on Attitude

 

Hello, for those of you who don’t know me, my name is Ethan.

I’d like to start off by telling you a story:

 

There once was a woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror, and almost all her hair had fallen out. She noticed she had only three hairs on her head.

'Well', she said, 'I think I'll braid my hair today?'

 

So she did and she had a wonderful day.

 

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw that she had only two hairs on her head.

'H-M-M,' she said, 'I think I'll part my hair down the middle today?'

So she did and she had a grand day.

 

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that she had only one hair on her head.

 

'Well,' she said, 'today I'm going to wear my hair in a ponytail.'

So she did and she had a fun, fun day.

 

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that there wasn't a single hair on her head.

'YEA!' she exclaimed, 'I don't have to fix my hair today!'

 

In this story the woman was under a less then desirable circumstance. But she chose to be happy. Attitude is everything.

 In 3 Nephi 1:13, Christ says “Lift up your head and be of good cheer…”

Carl B. Cook of the seventy, told a story about keeping your head up and being of good cheer. He said:

At the end of a particularly tiring day toward the end of my first week as a General Authority, my briefcase was overloaded, and my mind was preoccupied with the question “How can I possibly do this?” I left the office of the Seventy and entered the elevator of the Church Administration Building. As the elevator descended, my head was down, and I stared blankly at the floor.

The door opened and someone entered, but I did not look up. As the door closed, I heard someone ask, “What are you looking at down there?” I recognized that voice—it was President Thomas S. Monson.

I quickly looked up and responded, “Oh, nothing.” (I’m sure that clever response inspired confidence in my abilities!)

But he had seen my subdued countenance and my heavy briefcase. He smiled and lovingly suggested, while pointing heavenward, “It is better to look up!” up!” As we traveled down one more level, he cheerfully explained that he was on his way to the temple. When he bid me farewell, his parting glance spoke again to my heart, “Now, remember, it is better to look up.”

As we parted, the words of a scripture came to mind: “Believe in God; believe that he is … ; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth.”¹ As I thought of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ’s power, my heart found the comfort I had sought in vain from the floor of that descending elevator.

 

In both stories the message was to be happy and have a good attitude. The scriptures hold many excellent examples of unconquerable attitudes as well as poor attitudes.

One example is of Laman and Lemuel compared to Nephi. When they went on their journey to the promised land, they all left Jerusalem and they all walked the same distance, they all went back for the brass plates, they all went hungry together in the wilderness, they all built the same boat, and they all traveled across the same ocean. The only difference is that Nephi had faith in God, and he had a good attitude. But when you think of Laman and Lemuel you think of one word: murmuring.

Where Laman and Lemuel murmured about how terrible everything was, Nephi kept his head up, looking to God. Laman and Lemuel always acted as victims of their circumstances, but Nephi rose above the trials and became greater and better for it.

John 16:33 says:

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

Trials and tribulations are part of life. No one goes through life without their own Gethsemane. Hard times come to us all. But because of those trials we can become better, and we come closer to God. Attitude is part of these trials. Our attitude is the glasses to see the world with.

I love this poem by Red Foley, that talks about the attitude of gratitude.

Today, upon a bus,
I saw a girl with golden hair
And wished I was as fair
When suddenly she rose to leave,
I saw her hobble down the aisle
She had one leg and wore a crutch
But as she passed, she smiled
Oh God, forgive me when I whine
I have two legs the world is mine

I stopped to buy some candy
The lad who sold it had such charm
I talked with him, he seemed so glad
If I were late, it `d do no harm
And as I left, he said to me,
'I thank you, you've been so kind
You see, ' he said, 'I `m blind'
Oh God, forgive me when I whine
I have two eyes the world is mine

I saw a child with eyes of blue
He stood and watched the others play
He did not know what to do
I stopped a moment and then I said,
Why don't you join the others, dear?
He looked ahead without a word
And then I knew, He couldn't hear
Oh God, forgive me when I whine
I have two ears the world is mine

With feet to take me where I `d go
With eyes to see the sunset's glow
With ears to hear what I'd know
Oh God, forgive me when I whine
I have blessed indeed, the world is mine

I hope to be able to live with an attitude where I look up and see the good in everything around. Like President Monson said, “It’s better if you look up!”

I want to have an attitude where I am grateful for what I have and always try to help those around me.

I bear my testimony that a good attitude is the key to a Christ like life.

In the name of Jesus Christ AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!